What's on this weekend in Melbourne

Discover things to do in Melbourne this weekend, from free events to exhibitions, attractions and places to visit.

The NGV and Arts Centre lit up on a winter night.

This weekend

A woman with dark hair pulled back, wearing a gold and maroon sari and bindi, looks intently at the camera with her right hand raised near her head.
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The Jungle and the Sea

One family’s journey to retain their dignity and safety against the backdrop of a civil war.

Woman wearing a red cloak, holding a red apple.
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Grimm: Tales from the Brothers Grimm

The smash-hit, deliciously twisted production casts its spell over Melbourne.

Visitors admiring handmade textile art and quilts at a craft and quilting exhibition.
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Melbourne Craft & Quilt Fair

Melbourne Craft & Quilt Fair returns for four days of creativity, shopping and craft.

A smiling adult holding a scrunched-up bit of paper and interacting with a smiling infant lying on a cushioned surface, against a yellow background.
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Welcome The Little Stranger

A joyful theatre show for babies and their adults from Pocketfool.

A community book fair event, featuring tables lined with independent publications, with attendees browsing and interacting with stallholders.
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Emerging Writers' Festival

The Emerging Writers' Festival boasts performances, panels and workshops for all aspiring writers.

A large, energetic crowd of sports fans celebrating inside a crowded bar, taking part in a watch party for an NFL game.
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NFL Kickoff Festival

NFL takes over Melbourne Park this September with a football themed festival for fans.

The LA Rams mascot, Rampage, greeting fans and signing NFL footballs.
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Rams House: The LA Tailgate Experience

Experience an LA-style Rams takeover along Crown Melbourne's riverwalk.

Huge sports stadium filled with fans as fireworks explode over a huge screen.

49ers Gameday Watch Party

Join the faithful at Transport Bar to watch the 49ers take on the Los Angeles Rams.

Two people dancing - the woman performing a high kick and knocking the man backwards against a background resembling fire.
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Burn the Floor

Burn The Floor returns with Luminous, a new dance spectacular.

Singer Macy Gray, icily staring at the camera, with an outfit that features feathered shoulders.

Macy Gray: The Encore Tour

This September, Macy Gray returns for her largest ever tour of Australia.

Shoppers flicking through crates of vinyl records at a Record Fair.

Melbourne Record Fair

Over 20,000 records from Melbourne’s best vinyl dealers are waiting for you at Queen Vic Market.

The lower half of three people modelling upcycled patchwork trousers and skirts on a runway.

ReWear Runway

An upcycled and sustainable fashion show and part of the Zero Waste Festival.

Presenters holding placards in the Atrium at Fed Square.

Zero Waste Festival

A celebration of sustainable living with talks, workshops, zero waste ideas and community action.

A woman in park ranger attire closes her eyes and sniffs a leave in a garden.
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Ngarrgu Djerring Aboriginal Heritage Walk

Connecting culture and Country through First Peoples knowledge and native food.

Blue fairy wren perched on a brown stalk.

Bird Watching in Royal Park

Discover the diverse birdlife of Royal Park with Kerryn Herman from BirdLife Australia.

Person seated on a couch with graffiti scrawled on the walls, a pile of books on their lap.

Book Doof: A Daytime Rave for Readers

A no-pressure shared space for book lovers and creatives to relax, read, write or make – with music.

Liza Minelli and Joel Grey performing wearing 1930s vaudeville costume in a still from the movie Cabaret.

Capitol Theatre Orchestra followed by Cabaret Screening

Enjoy a performance of 1920s jazz before entering the decadent world of 1930s Berlin.

A group of people running across the finish line with a banner above them reading CONNOR'S RUN FINISH.

Connor's Run

Take part in Connor’s Run, Australia’s largest event for paediatric brain cancer.

North Melbourne AFLW players embrace in celebration on the football field.

AFLW Round 5: North Melbourne v Carlton

North Melbourne take on Carlton at Arden Street Oval on Sunday for AFLW's Round 5.

Regular weekend events

Dark image of a Dracula figure lit with red light on stage.
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Dracula: Ballet at its Darkest

A bold, cinematic reimagining of the gothic classic.

Rooftop garden at Fed Square with people under market umbrellas.
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RESET: A Festival for Grounding and Growing

Slow down, find joy in the hands-on and discover creative ways to live more sustainably this spring.

The facade of Melbourne Town Hall illuminated in colours, with a blurred tram going past.
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Light Up Melbourne After-dark Projections

See immersive art projections light up some of the city's most iconic landmarks.

Two people seated below a neon sign.
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The Story of the Moving Image

A permanent exhibition that journeys through the past, present and future of the moving image.

Animator and filmmaker Adam Elliot working on a claymation set, adjusting characters.
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Making Memoir of a Snail

Explore handmade sets, props and characters from Adam Elliot's claymation film Memoir of a Snail.

A dark interior space, with smoky purple rounds of light, silhouettes of people's arms pushing into these open spaces.
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Imaginator

An immersive experience that celebrates imagination, technology and play.

A plate of fluffy pancakes with ice-cream and chocolate over the top.
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Chocolate Family Adventure Day

Enjoy an all-inclusive, stress-free family outing filled with fun, creativity, and delicious treats.

Man holding an old-fashioned lantern outside illuminated Flinders St Station at night, wearing a suit and cap.
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Hidden Melbourne: Ghosts, Murder and Mystery

Take a spine-chilling journey back in time to explore the rich paranormal realm of Old Melbourne.

Black and white photograph from the 1960s of model, Twiggy, wearing a mini-dress at the Melbourne Cup.
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Swinging 60s

This exhibition looks at what it was like to live in Victoria during the 1960s.

A group of people on a guided walk of the Royal Botanic Gardens, with trees in the background.
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Free Guided Walk

A free guided walk is the perfect way to enjoy the sunny weather in Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne.

Two First Nations individuals sitting back to back on the ground outdoors, engaged in a traditional weaving activity near a body of water.
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FUTURE COUNTRY: Country Road + NGV First Nations Commissions

The second iteration of the Country Road and NGV First Nations Commission initiative.

An ancient Roman marble bust with its nose chipped off, displayed on a small square plinth.
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Rome: Empire, Power, People

This Melbourne-exclusive exhibition is a vibrant exploration of Ancient Rome.

Three people on a walking tour with a Fit City tour guide, two carrying a takeaway coffee.
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Laneways and Lattes Walking Tour

Explore Melbourne’s hidden laneways with coffee, street art, history and culture.

The lobby of a comedy venue, with a blue velvet couch and red curtains.
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Sunday Night Stand Up Comedy Show

See some of Melbourne's best stand-up comedy, every Sunday night.

A person in a gallery setting looking at a sculpture of an oversize wooden pipe with a sculpture of a giant peeled mandarin balanced on the pipe.
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Poetry Goes No Further Than Language

Explore a moment in mid-1980s China when a group of artists began to question values about art.

Two people on a stage giving each other a high five, one also holding a microphone.
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Comedy at the Coopers Inn

A comedy club featuring the best local, interstate and international stand-up comedians.

Workshop class participants smiling in a studio setting, holding up mosaic pots and coasters they have made.
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Mosaic Making Workshop for Beginners

Learn the art of creating beautiful mosaics from start to finish.

A group of smiling participants in a studio workshop setting, holding glass-domed terrariums.
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Serene Terrarium: Workshop for Beginners

Create your mini plant world while enjoying a soothing cuppa and a calming environment.

Workshop participants smiling and holding multicoloured mosaic tiled coasters.
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Colourful Mosaic Coaster Workshop

Come and make mosaic coasters and step into the world of colours.

A close up of flower made from enamel craft
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Cloisonne Enamel Painting Workshop for Beginners

Create a unique drink coaster using the ancient cloisonné art.

Three smiling workshop participants in a studio space, holding up jewellery they have made.
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Polymer Clay Earring Workshop

Create beautiful jewellery in this fun workshop.

People looking up at the trees on a guided walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens.
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Aboriginal Heritage Walk

Wominjeka: journey into Melbourne Gardens with an Aboriginal guide.

Two people standing in front of a large pink spiky wall of speakers in an exhibition space.
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Reverb: A Journey into Sound

ACMI and RISING present Reverb: A Journey Into Sound, a major exhibition of vinyl culture and music.

Cheese and wine display on a table near a window.
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High Cheese

A bold three-tiered journey showcasing local and international cheeses, inspired by fire and water.

Table set with food and drinks next to potted palms.
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Fern’s Hidden Winter Garden

Melbourne's most-booked winter escape blooms into spring.

Installation view of the Spartans & Anzacs exhibition at the Shrine of Remembrance, with people walking around the space, reading panels and looking at displays.
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Spartans & Anzacs

This exhibition invites reflection on the enduring values forged in conflict.

Two young adults observing a sculpture in a gallery space with digital and scupltural displays.
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EMERGENCE[Y]

An exhibition exploring how adaptation in a world of flux unfolds in every layer of life.

Visitors enjoying an evening event at the National Gallery of Victoria, seated on stools under shadowy lighting.
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NGV Friday Nights: Cartier

NGV Friday Nights shine with Cartier, featuring live music, flims, food and drinks.

An exquisite Cartier diamond tiara, suspended against a black background.
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Melbourne Winter Masterpieces: CARTIER

Featuring nearly 400 extraordinary jewellery objects, alongside rare archival materials.

Visitors walking through a 3D simulation of the cosmos using wireless VR headsets.
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Starstruck

Smithsonian Starstruck is an immersive 3D journey to the cosmos.

A large group of people in active wear all running on a path in park.
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Run the Tan: Run Club

Start the weekend off on the right foot with a run around the Tan.

A gallery space with paintings displayed on one white and one yellow wall, plus a series of totems or tree trunks displayed in a white stand in the middle.
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Ngarn Wa'ngal: Art of the Gum Tree

Discover how the iconic gum tree has inspired centuries of Australian art and culture.

Two actors wearing formal clothes in a spotlight on a theatre stage during a performance of Pretty Woman: The Musical.
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Pretty Woman: The Musical

A dazzling stage adaptation of one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all time.

Looking over a blurred shoulder at a table with books displayed.
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World of the Book

Experience the rare, the sacred and the iconic in this one-of-a-kind exibition.

A stand-up comedian talking into a microphone they hold in their hand, performing live on stage.
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Main Stage: Stand-Up Comedy

Have a laugh with stand-up comedy from Australia's best comedians, plus international drop-ins.

Six female performers on a purple lit stage in costumes and striking poses, all singing into microphones they hold in their hands.
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SIX the Musical

SIX the Musical makes its royal stage return to Melbourne's Comedy Theatre.

Three ballerinas on a darkened stage in glowing tutu dresses.
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Ballet of Lights: Sleeping Beauty in a Sparkling Show

The classic fairytale is reimagined with glow-in-the-dark costumes and luminous staging.

Egg yolk pouring out of a long sub sandwich with cheese and salad.
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Gourmet Sandwich Hunt

Elevate your sandwich style with celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

Singers and dancers on a theatre stage in a scene from A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical, with spotlights and stage sets.
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A Beautiful Noise: The Neil Diamond Musical

An inspiring, exhilarating, energetic musical memoir.

Aerial view of an outdoor market on Southbank promenade, showing the Yarra River with boats on the right, market umbrellas and stalls on the concourse and city buildings in the background.
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Southbank Makers Market

Explore the Southbank Makers Market every Sunday on the promenade at Southgate.

A solar eclipse, with light emerging around the edges of the blacked-out sun.
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Solar Tours

Come and experience the wonders of the Sun at the historic Melbourne Observatory.

Grilled cheese toastie on a plate.
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Vego Toastie Hunt

Elevate your vego sandwich with celebrity chef Darren Purchese.

A dancer performs on a brightly illuminated stage wearing a white tutu and bodice outlined with glowing green neon lights, behind her is a framed portrait of two women.
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Ballet of Lights: Cinderella in a Sparkling Show

The classic fairytale is reimagined with glow-in-the-dark costumes and luminous staging.

Novelty wind-up chattering teeth against a yellow background.
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Basement Comedy Club: Weekend Showcase

Bringing you the biggest names and best comedians in the country, and beyond.

An oil painting depicting a scene from a Moroccan courtyard in earthy warm tones.
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Susannah Bond and Melissa Fraser: Oceans Apart

Contemporary oil paintings capturing the recent travels of artists Melissa Fraser and Susannah Bond.

Black and white photograph of a busy Melbourne city intersection with trams, cars, people crossing the road, and buildings, dating from around the 1950s or 1960s.
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Making Modern Melbourne

This free exhibition examines the tumultuous twentieth century in Melbourne.

Four rows of people sitting smiling and laughing.
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Kings of Comedy: Underground, Uncensored, Unrivalled

Enjoy stand-up comedy from future stars and celebrity guest headliners.

A highly detailed hand-drawing of three elaborately dressed women of the 17th century Royal Court of England.

The Women Who Clothed The Stuart Queens

A talk on fashioning the Royal Court and the women who clothed the Stuart queens with Sarah Bendall.

A woman with theatrical witch makeup and an elaborate, tall gray hairstyle intertwined with dark green foliage poses against a solid light green background.
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Pulse

Pulse is a love song to a bleeding ocean created by Susan Bamford Caleo and Elissa Goodrich.

An interactive dance workshop in a studio, where participants are learning a dance following instructions from a man holding a microphone.
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Salsa Dancing Classes

Enjoy a free salsa dance class, where all levels are welcomed.

Four women standing and holding up small mosaic lamps in front of a circular neon sign.
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Mosaic Art Classes Melbourne: Turkish Lamp Workshop

Make beautiful mosaic lamps at this Turkish lamp workshop

Several rows of people painting on canvases in a room with large, wall murals.
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Drip Splash: Creative Night Out

Unleash your inner artist with a night of drinks, paint, music and friends.

See all events on this weekend

More to explore

People milling around Fed Square at sunset.

What's on today

Discover free events, epic festivals and shows on in Melbourne today.

A night tennis match at Rod Laver Arena.

Major events

From the Australian Open to the Melbourne Cup, major events take centre stage throughout the year.

People on deck chairs watching a movie in Fed Square on a large screen.

What's free in Melbourne this month

Everything to see, do and enjoy in Melbourne for free this month.

A chef cooking meat skewers over a flaming grill.
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What's on in November

Things to do in Melbourne in November, from free events to exhibitions and places to visit.